On Tuesday 22 October the St Albans Civic Society held its annual awards evening at the Maltings, St Albans.

Each year St Albans Civic Society celebrates imaginative development and design initiatives that have been completed within the city in the previous year.

Oaklands College was selected for the RIBBA Award winning Discovery Centre and was 1 of just twenty of the projects considered for the award.

The Mayor of St Albans City and District, Councillor Annie Brewster, commented: “It was a tremendous pleasure to have been invited to present the Civic Society Awards this year that promote and celebrate the most exciting design and building projects that have been achieved in 2012. The quality of the nominated finalists was incredible, a great year for St Albans. It is very important that we continue to encourage projects that will preserve and enhance our wonderful heritage and special character.”

Following its relocation from the city centre, the Discovery Centre project is one phase in the development of the college's Smallford campus. The project includes a large sports hall, synthetic turf sports pitches, learning and teaching facilities, as well as the nationally recognised Springfield Unit, catering for students with profound learning difficulties and disabilities. The concept, while meeting the needs of contemporary students, has allowed for flexibility and change in the future. The well-articulated interior spaces, with their industrial pragmatic finish, maximise educational opportunities, whilst the exterior mass of the building blends with the agriculture origin and nature of many of the surrounding buildings and environment. This high quality project has provided an exceptional educational and community facility to be utilised and enjoyed by St Albans and the surrounding area.